


A Night Out and a Dress

by iceshade



Category: Cinderella (1950), Disney Princesses
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, Community: purimgifts, Ella just wants some good food, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Magic, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-17 22:59:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13669089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iceshade/pseuds/iceshade
Summary: “Cinderella never asked for a prince, she asked for a night off and a dress” - Kiera CassElla's desire to go to the ball was a bit more self-indulgent than the stories would have you think.





	A Night Out and a Dress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hhertzof](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hhertzof/gifts).



 

Ella stared out the coach window as the scenery rushed by, her face practically pressed against the glass trying to absorb everything she could. Stepmother rarely let her leave the grounds anymore, and as such she hadn’t seen much of the kingdom outside the nearby marketplace since father had died. Unconsciously, her other hand stroked the fine fabric of her dress, luxuriating in the feel through the gloves. She hadn’t had much time to notice everything she was wearing after her fairy godmother was done working her magic (literally!), before she was being shuffled off to the ball with warnings to be back by midnight. 

 

Reluctantly, she pulled her gaze from what was outside the coach to what was in it. Her fairy godmother had given her such a fine dress to wear in a sparkling, silvery-blue fabric. And gloves! Gloves hadn't even occured to Ella, but in hindsight she realized it was probably smart: her hands were caloused from hard work, and would have immediately broadcasted her as out of place to anyone that cared to look. Everything she was wearing was of finer quality than she'd had even when her parents had been alive. She might not be a princess, but she could certainly feel like one tonight. She spared a thought for her mother's dress that had been ruined. It would have been nice to have a piece of her family with her tonight. Either way, her stepfamily would never recognize her, but Ella didn't plan on going anywhere near them while at the palace. 

All too soon, her coach was pulling up to the palace gates. Ella hoped the festivities were well underway so she would be able to make an inconspicuous entrance. She wouldn't mind meeting the prince, but tonight was a night for her to enjoy herself. The grounds and the walls were lit up so splendidly she couldn't imagine what the inside looked like. One of the footmen helped her down from the coach as if she were truly a great lady, but Ella barely noticed. Surprisingly, the slippers made of glass were quite comfortable to walk in. Or maybe not so surprisingly, because magic.  

No one was yelling or telling her she was going the wrong way, so Ella followed the carpet and the noise. She could also smell the food that must be set up somewhere, and couldn't wait to eat something that wasn't leftover or spoiled. Finally she reached a pair of gilded doors at the end of the hallway with a pair of guards stationed there to open them for her. She peeked inside to see if she would be interupting anything, but there was yet another pair of stairs to descend. 

Luckily, the prince was preoccupied with all the eligible maidens in the land being presented to him, and when she was almost at the bottom, Ella found the tables of food set up on the side of the ballroom. So intent was she on her destination that she never noticed the hush that fell over the ballroom or that someone was coming up behind her until they grabbed her hand. 

Startled, she turned to see a man -- no, not a man,  _the prince_  -- bowing  _to her,_  and she sank into a curtsy automatically. Their eyes locked, and only one thought went through her mind at that point. 

_Oh._

_Oh **no**._

_He was hot._

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't understand the photo reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUA93c6J_50


End file.
